OREANDA-NEWS. Recognising it’s efforts for developing football at the grassroot level, the ‘Subroto Mukerjee Sports Education Society’ (SMSES) has been bestowed with National Sports Award ‘Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar’, for ‘Sports for Development’ by Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports. The ‘Subroto Mukerjee Sports Education Society’ organises the famous Subroto Cup Football Tournament, and over last six decades has made significant contribution towards development of football in the country.

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, on 23 August announced the award of ‘Sports for Development’ to ‘Subroto Mukerjee Sports Education Society’ along with the other annual sports awards like the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Dronacharya, Arjuna Award and others.

Ever since its inception in 1960, the Subroto Cup Football Tournament, named after the first Chief of Air Staff of Indian Air Force, Late Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee OBE, has time and again ventured into unchartered territory to ensure every child is encouraged to play football in the country. Subroto Cup, conducted by the Indian Air Force, is the largest Football tournament for school children with over 35000 Indian and Foreign teams participating each year. The tournament has made a major impact on Indian Football in recent times with increased interest in football in the country. Subroto Cup Football tournament is now recognised as a ‘Game Changer’ and a ‘Bedrock’ for nurturing talent at junior and sub-junior level in the country.

Air Marshal MK Malik AVSM VSM Air Officer-in-charge Administration who is also the Vice Chairman of ‘Subroto Mukerjee Sports Education Society’ received the ‘Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar’ on behalf of ‘Subroto Mukherjee Sports Education Society’ from Hon’ble President of India today at a ceremony in Rastrapati Bhawan.